Ode to the Enigmas
by PherisphenaLadea
Summary: SDMI universe. Small collection of unwritten scenes/scenes that could have been written based on canon events, mostly involving Professor Pericles and the members of the original!Mystery Inc. Ricky/Cassidy implied. Updated regularly. (Rated T for safety.)
1. Chapter 1 (Out of Control)

**Hi! This is my first fanfiction I've posted here ever, so this is more of a test to see if I can keep everyone in character and organize the plot correctly. This is a bit of a pairing fic, but mainly these are two of my favorite characters who I thought deserved more attention. If you don't recognize the scene it is taking place in, the scene takes place after the first kidnapping in 2.03 (The Night the Clown Cried pt II). It's supposed to be the unwritten interaction between Ricky Owens (Mr. E) and Cassidy Williams before the authorities show up the next day. Suggested romance between the two. **

**I do not own Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated or any other form of the Scooby Doo franchise.**

* * *

The door handle rattled under Cassidy's frantic fingertips, but the door itself remained stubbornly shut. It was only a bathroom door at a hairdresser's-Cassidy didn't know what kind of insecurity you needed to have to install a door this sturdy, but it served its purpose well. Beside her, Ricky apparently had no intention of helping. He stood in his slightly hunched posture, hands stuffed tightly in the pockets of his monogrammed jacket.

On the other side of the door, a vehicle of some kind crackled across the scattered glass of the recently demolished window and screeched away. With a frustrated growl, Cassidy drew back and executed a concentrated kick on the wood of the door directly beside the door handle. The door crashed open and the doorframe shattered where the locking mechanism had once held it in place.

Pausing only to glare fiercely at the brooding man beside what remained of the doorframe, Cassidy flew through the doorway and skidded to a stop to fully survey the damage. The hairdresser's shop window had been smashed through completely, where a gaping hole about the size of a car glinted in the dimness of the moonlight. Cassidy whirled and frantically searched through the shop, which took about all of thirty seconds; there were only so many supply closets in one hair store. All the while, Ricky stood perfectly still, watching her with a tired disinterest that was a solid confirmation of her unlikeliness to find anything.

When she had finished her frenzied search, she turned back to him, her eyes glinting with frustration and her chest heaving.

"Well?" she snapped in his direction. "Who was that?"

Ricky gave the barest of shrugs that mirrored his lack in enthusiasm. "It's none of my concern."

"You mean you don't _know?_" she spat. "How could you not know? Are you as idiotic I think you-" she lost check on her temper long enough to spin on her heel and kick through a mirror. Glass exploded from beneath her foot and tinkled lightly to the floor.

"Careful," commented Ricky flatly. "I hear that's bad luck."

"Answer the question, smartass."

Ricky glared. "It means I don't know and I don't care. I have more important things to deal with than some ambitious fool in a clown costume-"

"Dammit, Ricky!" Cassidy punctuated her interjection with another well-aimed kick at nearby chair, which clattered into the wall. "She was a friend! You remember having those? Anywhere in your conceited little mind for those memories to fit?"

"I remember," said Ricky coolly. "But most of them went insane."

"You're falling apart," said Cassidy, her voice hoarse and tired. "All of you. None of you would listen. And-" She gestured widely with one hand, punctuating her rant, which collided with the side of a nearby cabinet with a loud crack. Blood trickled from her knuckles. "Some evil German parrot has made you his lackeys. How does it feel, Ricky? Being manipulated by a bird, I mean?"

Ricky stared at her silently, eyes flickering briefly to the bruised, bloody mess that was her right hand. She seemed not to have noticed. "Your hand," he commented blatantly.

Cassidy ignored him. "What happened to you, Ricky?" she asked with a decided note of exasperation. "This can't just be about that stupid disk."

"Shows what you know," replied Ricky, shifting his stance slightly in a defensive manner. "Pericles and I have formed a partnership. Once we get the disk pieces from those kids, we'll be halfway to the treasure. And then I'll finally have the power I deserve."

Cassidy laughed almost jeeringly. "You and I both know that Pericles will never stick to that partnership crap. He's so far gone I don't think he can even remember the definition of the word." Cassidy took a step forward, her stance shifting to a less rigid posture. "Come on, Ricky, what happened to you? I used to-"

Ricky's lip curled as turned slightly away from her, as if to deflect her words. "It's you you should be worried about, Cassidy Williams," he spat. "I have nothing more to say to you. What I do from now on is none of your concern."

"Ricky, I want to help," insisted Cassidy, stepping forward. She held one hand in the other, still seemingly oblivious to the bloody mess of her right hand. There was a moment of silence between the two that felt thick and palpable. "You could come with me. You could start over, and we could forget this stupid treasure. It's not worth wasting your life over-"

"Don't lecture me, Cassidy Williams." Ricky said quietly, completely unwilling to listen. His voice, however, had lost its venom. He finally turned to meet her gaze, and the deadness in his eyes frightened her. "I know what I'm doing, and I'm not going to stop until it's done. And there's nothing you can do to make any difference."

Cassidy lowered her gaze, silent. "Pericles has really got to you, huh?"

He hesitated, drained. "I suppose."

"But, Ricky, you know him. I mean, you used to. There must be something you can do to put him in his place-"

"He's entirely out of control. He's running Destroido Corporations more than I am, bleeding our resources dry." He rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I don't think there's much sanity left in him."

"Well then-" she sighed and turned away, taking a few slow steps to the front of the shop. She turned around.

"You should really remind him who's in charge, Rick. You built Destroido from the ground up, you know." She met his eyes again. "Whatever you say, Ricky Owens, I still think there's reason in you. Don't let some bird...don't let someone walk all over you just because you used to be good friends. If anything, he should be following your orders, not the other way around." She turned toward the exit again and hopped over the jagged windowpane.

"Cassidy."

She didn't turn back again. "Best of luck to you, Ricky." And then she was gone.

He stood there for a few moments, watching her shadow disappear. Then he put his hands in his jacket pockets once more, and picked his own way through the broken glass to the gaping cavity of a window. There was a peaceful silence about him, but as usual, his head was on fire and clamored with thoughts and suppressed misery. _I need a drink_, he thought numbly, and staggered away through the midnight gloom.

* * *

**In case it was unclear, I modeled the the dialogue here to cater specifically to the scene in Season 2 Ep. 14 (The Devouring) in Destroido, where Ricky attempts to lock Pericles out of the corporation's system and regain control of the situation. I thought Cassidy might be a good inspiration for his actions because of the twelve different screens he is studying on pictures of her before Pericles comes and yells at him. (Yeah. I know.) Make of that what you will; this is just one interpretation. **

**Their relationship (Ricky and Cassidy's) is something I haven't gotten a chance to study fully yet, but when I do, I'll probably update this.**

**Thanks for reading! Reviews are certainly not mandatory, but greatly appreciated. Constructive criticism is encouraged. If you happen to have seen all the episodes in the series, maybe drop me some tips on how to keep everyone in character. If not, just let me know what you thought! **

**Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2 (Letter to Cassidy)

**Hi all! After some consideration (and a little friendly feedback), I decided to continue this fanfic as a collection of short stories, mostly unwritten scenes involving the original!Mystery Inc members that were either mentioned but not shown or could have gone down based on canon events. This particular story is one of the latter, of which I wrote at 2 in the morning being unable to sleep. I realize it's somewhat crappy and even a little cheesy, but it's also a stand-in until I can update with one of my longer projects, part 1 of which I started today.**

**Anyway, please accept this as a shippy intermission of sorts until I get around to finishing the next few unwritten scenes. **

**Thank you for all your reviews and favorites! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated or any other form of the Scooby Doo franchise. **

* * *

Mr. E sat in the darkness of his lair, shrouded in thought and quite a bit of alcohol. The humming of the many computers that confined him to this space was the only thing that broke the opaque silence. Even the sharks encompassing this area were very quiet today. Most might think that the sharks would be a little much, but Mr. E always felt safer with them around. It could certainly be counterproductive in safety, but they were the only things currently keeping him company.

The screen he glared unblinkingly at was indeed a text document, but one that was blank. The cursor blinked haltingly in its slightly pixilated form, patiently waiting words to trail along behind it. Ricky stared it down for a while, debating with himself while swirling the remains of red wine in his crystal glass.

And then, _Oh fuck it._

He set his glass down (a little less steadily than most would approve of), and placated the waiting cursor with shaking fingers.

_Dear Cassidy_

_Sometimes I think that there is a lot you deserve to hear from me. I am not a man without faults; you of all people must have realized this by now. Mostly, there are just many things I have done that I have regretted. I thought maybe it's best that you hear them from me._

Here he paused for a moment, feeling slightly dizzy. Then,

_My first fault is a repetitive one. I've drowned myself in alcohol over the years to stop myself from thinking clearly. It's difficult having to hear myself talk all the time, even in my head. Some days I'm just so tired of being the same person. Unfortunately, my subconscious has developed a way to adapt to the alcohol, and now I think more clearly than I would like, even in my intoxicated state. I'm trying to avoid the truth; truths I have long set aside for a later consideration that has never come. I have practically poisoned myself to rid me of certain realities, both past and present, and it has only resulted in the deterioration of my rationality. This I fear I have little left of._

_This is my first fault: hiding from the truth._

_Secondly, you should know that I am too concerned for myself. For someone who has thoroughly fatigued any possibility of enjoying my existence, I tend to look out for myself before others. You of all people know what this has done to me, and to the people who used to mean a lot to me. Some might tell you it's a survival instinct. I regard the concept as something that has threaded its way through nearly everything I wish I could go back and undo. _

_I've lied to you, Cassidy. I've lied to everyone. I've told you that I have defined my purpose in life for the discovery of this treasure, but my reason for existence and my sense of self worth are just things that I can not access, now or ever. It's a gray area that is so thick and disorienting that it is excruciating to think I ever had any say in doing the right thing while so ignorant. And it is utterly laughable to think that I have my life together, in any sense of the phrase. (Sometimes I do the laughing for other people.) _

He drew a hand across his brow, and his hand's journey back to the keyboard knocked the wine glass to the floor. The shattering sound was muffled by whine of the surrounding computers, though, and Ricky kept on.

_This is my second and third flaw: being selfish, and being a liar. _

_I thought I should also tell you that I haven't forgotten about you. I have tried to, believe me; I thought it might be better for myself, to become cold and distant and care for no one, but it has accomplished little. I've gotten on top of acting the part, however. But what I conceal kills me. This flaw is the fourth on this list. _

_I'm not blaming you for anything. And I won't ask your forgiveness, because I don't deserve it. I couldn't ask anything of you, Cassidy. I have never stopped caring for you, but that changes nothing now. I'm still as useless as I was when I began this letter, and no less defective. I'm sorry for everything I have done. And now I'm sorry that you're gone._

He shook his head once and erased the last line, replacing it with

_And although it means nothing, I am proud of you. Always have been, despite everything that has happened. That will not change._

Rubbing furiously at his eyes, he let the cursor flicker for a few moments. Behind him, a surfacing shark caused a small spray on the surface before diving for cover again. Ricky looked up.

_Thank you for trying, Cassidy. I am not worth your effort, but I have not forgotten it._

After deliberating further for a second, he concluded with simply,

_Ricky_

* * *

**Cheesy, right? Sorry about that.**

**Here's to hoping the next is a little better. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3 (A Little Propostion, Pt 1)

**Hi all! Sorry that this is so late. This is part one of some unwritten scenes based off the happenings in both 2.05 (The Hodag of Horror) and 2.07 (The Gathering Gloom). It takes place after Pericles gathers all the original members of MI in the graveyard to offer them a proposition, which I have added on to in this chapter. I also based it around the quote from 2.07 ("I tried to open my little heart to them! Wanted them to join forces again. But they all turned me down. Cassidy is bitter. Angry. Brad and Judy are enigmas; both of them. That leaves only you, Ricky.") before Mr. E decides to team up with Pericles. I decided to give writing the situations Pericles described a shot.**

**I've divided it into two parts since the following scenes I'm writing are a little uncertain. Here's part one! **

* * *

(Part 1)

"Vell, hello, Cassidy."

Angel jumped slightly. The sinister voice with the familiar accent sounded from somewhere to her far left, but it was near nonetheless. Angel could almost remember the days when that accent had been amusing to her. For Ricky's sake, she had tried to keep quiet about it, but had often done a poor job of doing so. Her mouth twitched somewhat jeeringly.

"If you've come to see me, bird, you can quit the shadow games. I unfortunately know your identity well enough already without you trying to conceal it."

A soft chuckle and a flapping of wings answered her cold response. Something clicked lightly on the outstretched needles of one of her record players. "If zat is vhat you prefer."

"Actually, I'd _prefer_ that you not be here at all, but I've got a funny feeling that's not going to happen." Her tone bristled with ice.

"Come now, Angel," replied the aviary genius. "Is zat how you treat an old friend?"

"Cut to the chase, Professor."

Pericles clicked his beak once in annoyance. "I've come to make you a deal."

"You tried that already. Was my answer not clear enough for you?" Even in the dark of her recording studio, Angel's poison glare pierced its way to the feathery shadow opposite her.

"Ah, do not be so quick, Miss Villiams. Even someone vithout my intellect could tell zat you do not like me."

"Genius," muttered the DJ. "Absolutely genius. You want a cracker for that, Polly?"

"_But_," continued the parrot, "someone of your intellect vould also have sought zis sru first. Zere is no vay you did not consider die circumstances before deciding." He paused momentarily. "You vill not admit it, but you haff zie second highest intellect of our little group. Zere vere times vhen I sought you vere closer to my level. We could haff been...partners."

Angel fingered her disc blades, which were stored on a harness around her wrist and were looking entirely too tempting at the moment. "You betrayed us, Pericles. It's your fault the way we are now. I don't care what drove you to do it, and I certainly don't care that you want my help now that you've ran out of backup."

"I am die greatest criminal parrot in die world. Noting can stop me. All zat I vill have could be yours." He paused for effect. "All of it, Cassidy. You vould be foolish to turn down such an offer."

"Then foolish I will remain," she replied, "because I said no."

"You are avare," began Pericles coldly, "of vhat die consequences are of refusing me."

A small /shing/ cut through the tension as the woman unsheathed her weapons, as casually as adjusting her sleeves. "Get out, Pericles."

"Sink carefully of vhat you are implying, Cassidy Villiams," hissed the bird.

"I said," intoned Angel with an acid voice, "get_ out_."

There was a pause. A stiff silence filled the air, as heavy as lead. Finally, a flapping of wings fluttered into existence and faded with his departure.

And Angel Dynamite stared coolly at the blades in her hands, framed by the weak moonlight, and didn't move for the rest of the night.

~::~

"Pericles, old friend!" exclaimed Brad.

"How have you been?" inquired Judy.

The criminal parrot settled himself on a small perch on the mantle. "Brad. Judy. How… _nice_ to see you again."

"Not nearly as nice—" began Judy.

"—as it is to see you!" finished Brad. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"

Pericles tried with little success to conceal his disgust. "I am not here for a friendly visit. I came to do business." He shuffled once. "Have you sought furzer about my offer?"

"Oh, Professor," said Judy with a chuckle. "We've given it plenty of thought. But we don't quite—"

"—have an answer for you," concluded Brad.

Pericles felt irritation rising in him rather quickly. "Vhat do you mean?"

"It means that we—"

"—are more comfortable working on our own for a while."

"I don't understand," commented Pericles dryly. "I have all die resources you vould need to locate and utilize die Planispheric Disc. Vhat could you possibly stand to gain from this?"

"Oh, Pericles, always the dictator!" sang Judy.

"We know we've always been grouped in the past," said Brad. "But we'd rather switch it up a bit."

"Try something new!"

"Yes, thank you, Judy," replied Brad earnestly.

"You're welcome, Brad," responded Judy enthusiastically.

"If I may continue," interrupted Pericles pointedly, "I believe you are avare that you could be making a grave mistake. Vithout my help, you have no hope of finding the treasure. It is best ve vork collectively to increase our chances of success. I sought ve had covered zis."

"Oh, of course, Professor Pericles! But—"

"—we felt it might be better to wait a while before teaming up. Personal reasons, you know."

"I do not," was the icy reply.

"Oh, then, you will!"

"Yes, you will!"

Pericles ruffled his feathers. "I do not have time for zis. You vill give me an answer later zis week or I vill see to it myself zat you are out of die vay."

"Alright, Professor!"

"Do come visit us again sometime!"

Pericles felt bile rising in his throat as rose from the mantel. "Unlikely," he muttered forbiddingly as he flapped away.

* * *

**So that's Part 1 so far. Please let me know if you have any recommendations for scenes you'd like to see written, especially regarding Part 2 of this little project. I hope to have Part 2 up soon for you. Thanks so much!**


End file.
